CONGRESS LEADER and former Union minister Aslam Sher Khan feels that the party?s secular image has been affected due to the declining influence of leaders who support secularism.

CONGRESS LEADER and former Union minister Aslam Sher Khan feels that the party’s secular image has been affected due to the declining influence of leaders who support secularism.

“That is why even Congress supporters are distancing themselves from the party. Secularism constituted the Congress’ identity. The party lost the December 2003 Assembly poll in Madhya Pradesh as a result of then chief minister Digvijay Singh’s tenure. The workers’ woes went unheard,” the former Olympian told reporters here on Sunday.

Pointing out that conventions were being held at division-level for establishing a dialogue with workers, Khan added that such events had already taken place here and at Bhopal. A State-level convention would be organised in the State capital.

“Reservation on religious basis is against the spirit of the Constitution. Muslims’ problems cannot be solved through reservation. Comprehensive methods are imperative for their uplift,” he felt.

On different factions projecting Guna MP Jyotiraditya Scindia and MLA Ajay Singh as claimants for the chief minister’s post, Khan said that once the Bharatiya Janata Party was vanquished, he saw nothing wrong in any Congress leader vying for the post.